Trump Sides With Democrats On Government Funding, Debt Ceiling Hike

WASHINGTON ― Democratic leaders found themselves in the unusual position of being on the same side as President Donald Trump Wednesday, reaching agreement on a plan to keep the government funded and raise the debt ceiling.

Trump met with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), as well as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) Wednesday at the White House.

“In the meeting, the President and Congressional leadership agreed to pass aid for Harvey, an extension of the debt limit, and a continuing resolution both to December 15, all together. Both sides have every intention of avoiding default in December and look forward to working together on the many issues before us,” Schumer and Pelosi said in a joint statement after the meeting.

Democrats had gone into the meeting hoping to get exactly this outcome. But by siding with Democrats, Trump rejected the wishes of his own party.

Earlier Wednesday, Ryan derided Democrats’ proposal to raise the debt ceiling for three months, calling the idea “ridiculous” and “disgraceful.”

“I hope they don’t mean that,” Ryan said.

“We’ve got all this devastation in Texas. We’ve got another unprecedented hurricane about to hit Florida. And they want to play politics with the debt ceiling?” Ryan told reporters. “That will strand the aid that we need to bring to the victims of these storms that have occurred or are about to occur.”

Ryan, McConnell and the White House did not immediately return a request for comment.